In 2020, we have witnessed many shocking acts of violence and racism against Black communities and individuals. We know that these are just the latest examples in a long history of shameful injustice and inequality for people of colour that exist around the world, including Canada.

Racism has no place in society, and no place at HOOPP. We continue to promote a respectful and inclusive workplace culture and service model, where everyone is treated fairly, regardless of race or religion, gender or sexual orientation, age, disability, or cultural background. We recognize that diversity is a strength that should be celebrated.

While we take pride in what HOOPP stands for and the work we are doing to promote diversity and inclusion, we know that we can do more. We are in the process of thoroughly examining our hiring and employment policies, and developing a new Equity, Diversity and Inclusion policy to formalize our practices. I would also like to tell you about a couple of other initiatives that are part of our efforts to deepen our conversation about anti-racism:

• In July, I signed a CEO pledge on behalf of HOOPP to support the BlackNorth Initiative, which brings together more than 150 Canadian business leaders who are committed to identifying and removing systemic barriers that negatively affect the lives of Black Canadians. The pledge includes commitments such as fostering an open environment and goals for greater Black representation within our organization, including at senior levels.
• In August, we established voluntary, employee-led Employee Resource Groups for women, LGBTQ Pride, and the Black community. These groups help foster a diverse and inclusive workplace by bringing together staff who share a common identity, while members support one another in building a sense of belonging and community.

Our beliefs about the importance of diversity and inclusion are embedded into our corporate values and we strive to demonstrate them each day by providing fair, equitable and respectful service and support to every single one of our members. We view every interaction as an opportunity to show you how important you are to us.

We don’t pretend to have all the answers today, but our leadership is committed to learning, growing and doing what’s right for all our employees, all our members and our broader community.

Sincerely,

Jeff Wendling